1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image formation apparatus, particularly an image formation apparatus including a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connecter that allows loading of a USB memory, and a control method for such an image formation apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Reflecting the common use of USB memories, there are now many users carrying around a USB memory in which document data is stored.
In view of such cases, there are more MFPs (Multi Function Peripheral), which is an example of an image formation apparatus, incorporating the feature of the so-called USB memory printing to print out the document stored in a USB memory at the MFP and USB memory scanning (hereinafter referred to as ScanToUSB memory) to have the contents of a paper medium converted into electronic form and stored in a USB memory loaded at a USB connecter.
With the increasing scale of the multifunction of the MFP, the trend is to extend the function by connecting an external device to a USB connecter.
Examples of external devices include USB keyboards, USB-IC card readers, USB fingerprint verification devices, USB mouse, and the like. It is now common to have a plurality of USB connectors mounted on an MFP for such function extension.
In this context, there may be the case where a plurality of USB memories are loaded to the plurality of USB connectors of an MFP.
Consider the case where a user executing USB memory printing takes away only the paper print medium and leaves the MFP with his/her own USB memory loaded at the MFP. In this state of affairs, the next user to execute a ScanToUSB memory procedure may set another USB memory at a USB connector, resulting in the case where a plurality of USB memories are loaded to the plurality of USB connectors at the MFP.
Another expected case is when a user executing a ScanToUSB memory procedure converts the image data of a large amount of documents, subsequent to the scanning operation, into another format such as PDF (Portable Document Format) and leaves the MFP during execution of writing the image data into a USB memory. This is a likely event since the process of converting and writing image data of a large amount of documents is time consuming.
In this state of affairs, the next user to execute a ScanToUSB memory procedure may set another USB memory at a USB connector, resulting in the case where a plurality of USB memories are loaded to the plurality of USB connectors at the MFP.
There is a possibility of the NIP not being able to determine which USB memory is to be accessed during a job. Data may be read out or written into an improper USB memory unless appropriate measures are taken.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-131825 discloses a scheme of preventing transfer of improper data among a plurality of input ports by assigning priority to the input ports. The port with the higher number of times of image data input is taken as the port of priority.
In the case where the scheme disclosed in the aforementioned publication is employed, the port corresponding to the higher count of loading image data from a USB memory will be accessed among the plurality of ports to which relevant USB memories are loaded. When a USB memory is attached to the port with the higher count of loading and a command is issued to execute printing from another USB memory attached to another port, the image data from the USB memory already attached will be loaded and printed out. Thus, there is a possibility of not being able to execute printing as intended by the user.
This event is also disadvantageous in that the printed out image data may be unintentionally exposed to the next user designating printout, which is not desirable from the sake of security if the print out corresponds to confidential information.
An MFP is generally configured with an operation display disposed at the front side of the MFP and the board panel for control of the machine disposed at the rear side.
The USB connector is often arranged at the rear side of the MFP for the purpose of reducing the wiring path with respect to the board panel. A view of the USB connector is not readily available to the user since the rear side of the MFP is distant from the operation display. The user may not realize that a plurality of USB memories are loaded. The possibility of the above-described problem occurring is high.